Big News: I read actual grown up books this month. Good ones. Books that I’m not embarrassed to tell you about. I guess the weather is finally cold enough to get me out of my extended beach reads mood. I read five books this week, four of which were actual books (I usually read more on my Kindle).

What Happens in Paradise by Elin Hilderbrand. This is the second book in the Winter in Paradise series. It was engaging and kept me reading. If you read the first book in this series you should read this book. If you haven’t read the first book you should wait until the third book comes out and devour all three at once. This book ends with one heck of a cliff hanger. I can’t wait to read the third book. I give this book four out of five stars.

The Call of the Wild and Free: Reclaiming Wonder in Your Child’s Education by Ainsley Arment. I was very excited to read this book, as it is all about my style of homeschool (Play is important. Get outside a lot. Follow your passions.). The first few chapters I was very into this book, but after that I was annoyed with her overuse of quotations. It was like she wrote the book with an open copy of Bartlett’s Book of Quotations next to her. She also lost me when she said that everyone could homeschool if they want to enough. I understand that being able to stay home with my kids and homeschool is a privilege many people don’t have. I have a wonderful support system which allows me to attempt homeschooling (we’re trying it next year. The kids will go to public school at some point in elementary school). I give this book two out of five stars.

Playing House by Ruby Lang. I remember very little about this book, but I preordered the next book in the series as soon as I was done, so I must have enjoyed it. I gave it two out of five stars.

The Shepard’s Life by James Rebanks. This book was calming and interesting. I loved hearing about sheep farming in the Lakes District of the UK. It is easy to read the stories Rebanks writes in this book, like a modern James Herriot. If you love sheep this book is even better. I give this book four out of five stars.

The Proposal by Jasmine Guillory. This is a romance novel that starts when a woman declines a jumbotron proposal and is rescued from the paparazzi by a handsome man and his sister. You know how this book will end. This book was good but not great. If you are in to romance novels, or your brain needs a break, this is one for you. I give this book two out of five stars.

I’ve got a big stack of books I’m looking forward to reading on my nightstand. I’m not sure how many I’ll finish this month, but I hope I enjoy reading them as much as I enjoyed the books I read this month.

What is in your to read pile?